Where is your Treasure?

Matt 6:19-24

Many people store up their treasures in Bank. Some have secret places in their homes like private save boxes. When you have an important sum of money at home, everyday you’ll verify whether your money is intact. Your mind is always where you have your treasure. For people who have money in banks, when they learn that a bank has gone bankrupt, they first verify that it’s not their bank because they don’t want to lose their money. No one will place his/her treasures in a place and forget about it; your mind will always be directed towards your treasures. Where then is your treasure?

   a)      Treasures on earth can easily be consumed or taken from us vs 19-20

                                                               i.      They can get bad

                                                             ii.      They can rot

                                                            iii.      They can be stolen

                                                           iv.      You may just lose them

                                                             v.      You may lose your focus and miss eternal life

Our Lord Jesus, makes us understand in the parable of the rich farmer in Luke 12:21, that materialism is not good and is a sin.

1.       Materialism is trusting in the world. God wants use to be blessed, to prosper, to get rich but He does not want us to be possessed by material things.

2.       We need to use the materials which we possess and not allow our materials to use us or control us.

3.       When material possession becomes a way of life because we want to acquire more in order to spend on our pleasures without thinking of blessing others, then we become self centered;

a.       We want all for ourselves

b.      Whether others lack or not; it does not mean anything. That is covetousness!

c.       When you are rich toward God, you’ll not lay up treasure for yourself

d.      You’ll do your best to be a blessing to someone

e.      You’ll love to give for benevolence and for the prosperity of the gospel.

Illus: A rich man who had many real estates, vehicles, businesses, etc died and the family was very sad as they were preparing for the burial. A mad man passed by and saw the men who were digging the grave. He laughed at them and shouted; “You people are fools. All of you! How can you be digging a small grave for this man? Where will his cars and houses go? Can they enter into this small grave?”

I tell you, those things will remain here on earth! You will go naked as you came; Why not keep your treasures where it’ll not perish?

   b)      The Bible makes us understand that the rich are people who are generous. If you are stingy, then you are in real poverty and you need deliverance from your poor and stingy habit.

                                                               i.      If you want to gather riches for yourself, you’ll lose them all. Proverbs 23:5 says riches make wings and suddenly fly away like an eagle.

                                                             ii.      Verses 6-8 of this proverb encourages us to share with people who are generous. It says, if you eat the food of a stingy person, you’ll vomit it.

                                                            iii.      That the heart of a stingy man is just like what he is. He’ll ask you to eat and drink but his heart is not with you.

Illus: Imagine you get into the home of a stingy woman. We know African hospitality! But a stingy woman will just give you food because she knows she has to, not because she loves doing that. She’ll ask you to eat and drink but behind with her children she is worried. She might complain to others how much you have eaten. She’ll sing to the people around her! You had better vomit it!

If you do not want your riches to develop wings, be rich towards God;

·         Give to the poor

·         Give to the needy

·         Give for evangelism. That way you’ll be storing up treasures in heaven.

   c)       People who want to be rich at all cost end up in sorrow 1Tim 6:9-10

                                                               i.      They fall into temptation

                                                             ii.      They fall into foolish and harmful lusts

                                                            iii.      The love of money is the root of all evil.

Example:

·         Those who love money can easily leave the church even when there’s prayer because of their business

·         They can miss Christian fellowship because they want to work money

·         They can even abandon church because of money

·         They are capable of cheating because of money

·         When they get the money they are led to pleasure

o   Drunkenness

o   Fornication

o   Strive etc just because of the love of money;

And the scriptures say they pierced themselves with many sorrows because they have strayed from the faith.

·         The things of heaven are imperishable as said in 1Pet 1:4

·         The crown of righteousness in heaven awaits those who have forsaken the treasures of the world and have loved the appearing of Jesus.

   d)      Where you put your treasure is where your heart is.

                                                               i.      If your treasure is on earth as you work to be rich on earth, that’s where your heart is

                                                             ii.      You’ll think about what and where your treasure is.

                                                            iii.      Your worries and desires are toward your treasures.

§  A person who is worldly will only desire riches

§  You see people who’ll move to any prophet or pastor just to ask for prayers for riches.

§  They forget to ask for prayers concerning their spiritual growth or asking God to strengthen them in love and patience.

§  No. “Pastor pray for me” that’s what they say. My business is not moving the way I thought

§  Pastor pray for me. I have financial difficulties. When they receive their prayers, they vanish into thin air and wait for another opportunity.

                                                           iv.      Prov 4:23 says the issues of life flow from your heart. Take care of what you build in your heart.

                                                             v.      If your eye is evil, your whole body is full of darkness; Luke 12:34

                                                           vi.      If your heart is lust to wealth, then your body is full of darkness. Matt 6:23

                                                          vii.      But if your eye or perspective of life is focus on doing good with your wealth, then your whole life is full of light.

   e)      You cannot serve two masters at the same time matt 6:24

                                                               i.      You cannot serve God and wealth. When material things become your master, you cannot serve God who’s in heaven

                                                             ii.      God demands that his children should give themselves to service and to show love to others. So if you give your life to worldly things you cannot give to others out of love which God demands.

                                                            iii.      You cannot trust God when you trust in your self-sufficiency of the things of this world.

§  I have my money

§  I have everything

§  I do not need anyone for help

§  I am my master

But God wants us to trust him totally. Not partially!

                                                           iv.      Friendship with the world is enmity with God. James 4:4

Use the wealth which God has blessed you with, to be a blessing for some one. There, you’ll be putting your treasures in heaven.

Amen!